“And I'd like to say to women out there everywhere: Don't allow these right-wing talking heads, these dishonorable people, to intimidate you or scare you. Be who you are. Do what you do. And let us get on with discussing the real issues of this country.”

In a “Fox & Friends” segment Tuesday morning, O'Reilly replayed a speech Waters had delivered on the House floor the night before. In it, Waters defended those who were critical of President Trump, saying that that criticism arose from a love of country.

“We have suffered discrimination. We have suffered isolation and undermining,” Waters said. “But we stand up for America, often times when others who think they are more patriotic, who say they are more patriotic, do not.”

A speech by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) generated backlash for Fox News host Bill O'Reilly when he said he was too distracted by "the James Brown wig" to listen to what she was saying. (C-SPAN)

Throughout her speech, O'Reilly's face appeared in a smaller window on the screen, where he was shown smiling, pumping his fist and mouthing silent responses to Waters.

“When we fight against this president and we point out how dangerous he is for this society and for this country, we're fighting for the democracy. We're fighting for America,” Waters continued. “We're saying to those who say they're patriotic, but they turned a blind eye to the destruction he's about to cause this country: ‘You're not nearly as patriotic as we are.’ ”

It was far from the first time O'Reilly has been called out for offensive remarks against women and minorities. Among recent examples, he last year defended former Fox News boss Roger Ailes, who was ousted from the network after former host Gretchen Carlson sued him for sexual harassment.

“But how are you going to get jobs for them?” O'Reilly said then. “Many of them are ill-educated and have tattoos on their foreheads, and I hate to be generalized about it, but it's true. If you look at all the educational statistics, how are you going to get jobs for people who aren't qualified for jobs?”

It also wasn't the first time Waters has been belittled on the network. In 2012, Fox News host Eric Bolling drew outrage after suggesting Waters must be on drugs to be criticizing the GOP the way she had been.

“Congresswoman, you saw what happened to Whitney Houston,” Bolling said. “Step away from the crack pipe, step away from the Xanax, step away from the Lorazepam because it’s going to get you in trouble.”

After the commercial break, Bolling walked back his comments, saying he was “kidding about the crack pipe.”

On Tuesday, O'Reilly wrapped up his appearance on “Fox and Friends” by inviting Waters to appear on his show, the “O'Reilly Factor.”

“She's a sincere individual. Whatever she says, she believes. She's not a phony, all right? And that's old school,” O'Reilly said. “So we're giving Maxine a break here. I love you, Maxine. I want to see you on 'the Factor' and, when hell freezes over, I'm sure that'll happen.”

In a statement Fox News emailed to The Washington Post on Tuesday afternoon, O'Reilly apologized for his comments.

“As I have said many times, I respect Congresswoman Maxine Waters for being sincere in her beliefs,” O'Reilly said in the statement. “I said that again today on Fox & Friends calling her 'old school.' Unfortunately, I also made a jest about her hair which was dumb. I apologize.”

This post has been updated. An earlier version of this story incorrectly attributed the quote, "It's the same one," to Fox News co-host Steve Doocy, citing a transcript by Media Matters for America. According to Fox News spokeswoman, that quote was said by co-host Brian Kilmeade.